1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to systems and their use for flamelessly heating a fluid, concentrating a fluid and/or evaporating a fluid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oilfield operations oftentimes require sources of heat, such as, for example, to produce steam or heat fracturing fluids. In the past, the oil field has looked to both flame and flameless heat sources.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,227 describes an “[a]pparatus and method for heating and preventing freeze-off of wellhead equipment utilize radiant heat from a flameless heater to heat fluid in a heat exchanger, such as a tank or finned radiator. A pump is used to circulate the heated fluid through a conduit loop deployed in thermal contact with the equipment to be heated, such that the heat from the fluid is transferred to the equipment, maintaining it at sufficient temperature to prevent freeze-off. The apparatus and method may also be used for other purposes, such as for circulating heated fluid through a liquid-cooled engine to facilitate cold weather starting.”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,633 describes “[a] flameless nitrogen vaporizing unit [that] includes a first internal combustion engine driving a nitrogen pump through a transmission. A second internal combustion engine drives three coolant circulation pumps against a variable back pressure so that a variable load may be imposed upon the second engine. Liquid nitrogen is pumped from the nitrogen pump driven by the first engine into a first heat exchanger where heat is transferred from exhaust gases from the first and second internal combustion engines to the liquid nitrogen to cause the nitrogen to be transformed into a gaseous state. The gaseous nitrogen then flows into a second heat exchanger where it is superheated by an engine coolant fluid to heat the gaseous nitrogen to essentially an ambient temperature. The superheated nitrogen is then injected into the well. The engine coolant fluid is circulated in a coolant circulation system by the coolant circulation pumps. Methods of vaporizing nitrogen are also disclosed.”
In addition, it is known that water produced in conjunction with hydrocarbons from subterranean wells or coal from subterranean mines can undesirably dilute fluids, such as well completion fluids, and can pose a substantial disposal burden.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,225 describes “[a] cavitation device . . . to heat, concentrate and recycle or otherwise reuse dilute and other oil well fluids, brines and muds, and solution mining fluids, all of which commonly contain ingredients worthy of conservation. The cavitation device is powered by a Diesel engine whose exhaust may be used to heat the incoming fluid, and the product of the cavitation device is directed to a flash tank.”
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,262 describes “[a] water brake which uses mechanical power to kinetically heat water to vapor or steam, and use thereof as a steam generator or cooling water conserving dynamometer or motion retarder. In the simplest embodiment, radial impeller vanes (5b) throw water against stator vanes (6e), whence the water rebounds to the impeller (5). The peripheral rebounding movement continues back and forth. Power dissipates as heat in the water causing the water to increase in temperature and to vaporize. The vapor, being lower in density and viscosity than is the water, flows to and out a central outlet (9) while the denser water is centrifugally separated from the vapor and retained in the peripheral rebounding motion. Water leaving as vapor is continually replaced through a cooling water inlet (8), allowing continuous operation over wide ranges of speed, torque, power, and steam generation rates, both at steady state and at controlled rates of change.
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for flamelessly heating, concentrating or evaporating a fluid by converting rotary kinetic energy into heat.